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why do some golf cart batteries need water

by Elouise Lakin DDS Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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The maintenance-required golf cart batteries contain electrolytes and sulfuric acid that submerged the lead plate, which stores electric energy. The water level is responsible for the electrolytes and acid to be available for the lead plate.

Full Answer

What kind of water goes in golf cart batteries?

  • Ensure that you fill water in your golf cart batteries only after charging them. ...
  • Use only distilled water so that there is no possibility of contamination.
  • Service your golf cart batteries on a half-yearly or a yearly basis.

Can I use purified water in my golf cart battery?

When the water inside the batteries evaporates, this results in a dry battery; resulting in reduced water levels. To add water to golf cart batteries, you need to fill the battery cells with distilled water. Fill the water above the battery plates by 1/4 - 1/2 an inch, but below the level of the vents.

Which golf cart battery is best?

What are the Advantages of Lithium Batteries for Golf Carts?

  • Constant power – Unlike lead-acid batteries, lithium batteries operate at full power throughout discharge, even when they are at less than 5%. ...
  • Lightweight – Lithium batteries are 50-60% lighter than their lead-acid equivalents. ...
  • Fast charging – Lithium batteries can be fully charged within 1-3 hours. ...

More items...

What is the best battery charger for a golf cart?

PROS:

  • This product is designed in a fully automatic manner so that it can easily charge a golf cart battery.
  • This is great for golf carts – and can be used for many other different batteries, which may be important to some consumers.
  • This charger was designed with reverse polarity protection.
  • There is a power on, power off, and fully charged indication.

More items...

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Why do I have to keep putting water in my golf cart batteries?

The battery water level is responsible for the electrolytes and the acid available for the lead plate. If the battery lacks enough water, the lead plates dry out and suffer irreversible damage. You or a technician should check the golf cart battery to ascertain optimal water level.

What happens if you don't put water in golf cart batteries?

If the water level in your golf cart battery is too low, the plates inside the battery will dry out and begin to flake off. When this happens, you will lose the ability to recharge your golf cart, and you will have to replace your battery altogether.

How often should you have to add water to golf cart batteries?

about once every 30 daysAlways fill the batteries after charging. The typical schedule is about once every 30 days, but this may vary by several days depending on your specific situation. When filling the batteries, add just enough water to bring it 1/4 inch to 1/8 inch shy of the indicator ring to prevent overfilling.

How do I know if my golf cart batteries need water?

2:524:44How to Fill Your Electric Golf Car Batteries | Golf Cart MaintenanceYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe proper water level is at the bottom edge of that gauge you want it to be a little gap betweenMoreThe proper water level is at the bottom edge of that gauge you want it to be a little gap between the below the bottom of that gauge in that battery.

How often do you need to add water to a battery?

A battery should only be watered after it is completely charged. But, you should always check the water level before charging. Before charging, make sure there is just enough water to cover any exposed plates (rectangular metal parts visible when you look inside a battery).

When should I fill my battery with water?

While a battery should only be filled after it is completely charged, you should also check the water level before charging to make sure there is just enough water to cover any exposed plates. After charging, add enough water to bring the level to the bottom of the vent, about ¾ below the top of the cell.

What happens if a battery runs out of water?

What Happens If A Lead-Acid Battery Runs Out Of Water? If that happens, the lead plates will be exposed to the existing oxygen and hydrogen gas in the battery. This exposure will cause an exothermic reaction with the battery terminals, emitting huge amounts of heat. The heat will further evaporate the water.

Why do my golf cart batteries drain so fast?

The reason why your golf cart battery keeps losing charge or drains quickly, may be due to loose wires, corroded connectors or an insufficient amount of water in the battery. The battery connections may have become loose or the connectors are corroded.

Should you leave a golf cart plugged in all the time?

Manufacturers suggest leaving your golf cart plugged in all of the time while using an auto battery charger, as it will keep the batteries fully charged and always available. If batteries are not charged for prolonged storage, they may damage over time and deliver less capacity.

How do you bring a golf cart battery back to life?

Step 1: Tip the battery on its edge: Allow approximately half the battery acid to run out of each cell and into a plastic container. ... Step 2: Mix 8 ounces of Epsom salts into 2 quarts of warm distilled water: Stir thoroughly. ... Step 3: Put the battery or batteries on a charger.

How does a golf cart watering system work?

0:203:58Trojan Battery Golf Car HydroLink install and use - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipToday I'm going to show you how to install it on a set of batteries and how to properly use it theMoreToday I'm going to show you how to install it on a set of batteries and how to properly use it the first step is to remove the existing vent from the battery.

Why do you need to refill a golf cart battery?

These components submerge the plates in order to produce energy. When the battery is discharged, the water level that contains electrolytes becomes lower.

Why does my golf cart water evaporate?

This happens during the summer or in places with higher temperatures. When a golf cart is exposed to high temperatures for a prolonged period of time, the water inside the battery tends to evaporate. As the water continues to evaporate, the water level becomes lower and lower.

Why do you refill a battery with water?

The idea behind refilling your battery with water is to prevent the plates from getting exposed. When you refill, make sure the water level is above the plates.

What happens when a battery is discharged?

When the battery is discharged, the water level that contains electrolytes becomes lower. This is normal as the water gets back to its normal level after recharging. The critical condition is when the water level becomes lower even if the battery is not discharged. This happens during the summer or in places with higher temperatures.

What is stable in a battery?

The acid and electrolyte components of a battery are stable. This means they don’t get depleted unless the battery leaks.

Can you recharge a golf cart battery?

This condition is called sulfation, and when this happens, you can no longer recharge the battery. To avoid this, you should refill the water in your golf cart battery regularly.

Can you keep a golf cart battery in water?

Nevertheless, this can be avoided through keeping the water at normal levels. Golf cart batteries may seem to be complicated to use, but it’s easy to maintain once you know the proper way of using it as all batteries need to be taken care of.

How To Add Water To Golf Cart Batteries?

The first thing to be aware of is that you should not necessarily refill your golf cart battery every time the water level is low. When a battery is discharged, the water level will be low by design. If you refill it, and then charge the battery, it will overflow. This will leak battery acid everywhere, which will then cause corrosion. Never add water to a battery when it is discharged.

What Happens If Golf Cart Batteries Run Out Of Water?

When the batteries are discharged, they will consume the electrolytes, causing the water levels to drop. This water evaporation is a normal part of deep-cycle battery functionality, and when you recharge the battery, the water quantity is usually restored to its optimal amount.

What to do with golf cart batteries in 2021?

June 1, 2021. by Nick Lomas. In terms of maintenance, the most important thing you can do for your golf cart battery is to ensure that its water levels are good. Without enough water, your batteries will eventually dry out and suffer irreversible damage. Fortunately, adding water to your batteries is pretty easy and won’t take too much of your time.

Why do you need to refill a battery with water?

You are only required to refill your battery with water in order to maintain the chemical makeup of the battery. However, accidents can happen, and a battery may be tipped or dropped, causing the acid to spill out. If this happens, you will need to replace the sulfuric acid that has been lost.

Why do batteries dry out?

The heat causes the water to evaporate, diminishing your batteries’ access to the crucial electrolytes. When the water levels are low, the battery plates will be exposed to the air for longer than they should be, which will cause them to dry out and flake off. This results in a condition called sulfation.

Why do you need distilled water for batteries?

Instead, you must use distilled water. This is because distilled water is essentially pure water, free of any contaminants that will harm your battery. Now for the process.

What happens when you recharge a battery?

This water evaporation is a normal part of deep-cycle battery functionality, and when you recharge the battery, the water quantity is usually restored to its optimal amount. However, after a number of charge cycles, or if the cart has not been used for a while, you might notice that the water levels are low even when the battery is not discharged.

What happens when golf cart batteries are low on water?

Trojan will periodically request that dealers or golf car distributors send them batteries that are being processed for warranty due to failure so they can perform a “battery autopsy” to determine the cause of failure. Sometimes a battery failure is due to a manufacturing defect, but many times they discover the failure is due to poor maintenance.

What type of water should I add to my golf cart battery?

Every major battery manufacturer recommends that distilled water be added to flooded lead acid batteries. There are a couple of acceptable alternatives, such as de-ionized (demineralized) water, or reverse osmosis water. But the recommendation is distilled water.

How do I know if my golf cart batteries need water?

When you are checking the water level in the cells of your battery, you want to make sure that the plates in the battery are covered with water, and that the water level is at the correct level when the battery is fully charged.

How much distilled water do you put in a golf cart battery?

The actual amount of water you may have to add will vary based upon the current level of water in your golf car batteries, but the end result is that you should add as much as necessary to achieve a water level approximately 1/8 – 1/4th of an inch below the bottom of the vent well when fully charged. See diagram above.

Can you use bottled water instead of distilled water in a battery?

Most bottled water has minerals added for taste. You should not use bottled water to fill your golf cart battery. Minerals will be attracted to and accumulate on the plates inside the battery and significantly reduce their capacity and life.

Should I charge golf cart batteries after adding water?

Your golf car should be fully charged before adding water to your batteries, but if you want to charge the golf cart batteries after adding water you can. Your charger may initiate an equalization charge which may cause your batteries to bubble and gas, so you may want to prevent or stop the equalization after charging for an hour or so.

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